Instagram has just announced a notable change in the use of hashtags, according to which each post and Reels are only allowed to use a maximum of five hashtags.
The information was confirmed by Mr. Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, and quickly attracted the attention of the content creation community.
This move comes less than a month after Instagram ( Meta's platform) removed the hashtag tracking feature, suggesting that the social network is continuing to adjust how users explore and distribute content.
While hashtags are still retained as a search engine, their role in expanding reach is shrinking significantly.
According to Instagram, the platform has long had problems with hashtag stuffing, as users added a series of popular but unrelated cards to increase visibility.
This method not only makes the user experience worse, but also disrupts the content distribution system.
In the post on their @creators account, Instagram said it found that using fewer hashtags, but more specifically and relevantly, would be more effective.
A maximum of 5 hashtags, targeting the right topic, can improve content performance and user experience, the platform emphasized.
Meta also offers specific recommendations for creators. Accordingly, hashtags should directly reflect the content of the post, instead of running general cards.
For example, beauty content creators should use hashtags related to cosmetics, skin care or makeup to reach the right group of people.
On the contrary, popular hashtags such as #reels, # explore or unrelated cards that Instagram believes are almost unlikely to increase visibility, and can even reduce post performance.
This goes against the long-standing habit of many users, who consider hashtags the key to trending.
Mr. Adam Mosseri also emphasized on his Instagram Advice channel that the hashtag is mainly for search purposes, not to help the content spread more widely.
According to him, the most important thing is still to identify the right audience and create content suitable for that group of people.
This change shows that Instagram is increasingly focusing on content quality and user behavior, instead of technical optimization tricks.
Abusing real interaction, viewing time, and content consistence rather than the number of hashtags.
Along with tightening the hashtag, Instagram has recently introduced a new feature called Your Account in the Reels tab. This feature gives users a better understanding of why they see certain content, while giving them more control over their algorithm's recommendations.
Overall, the changes show that Instagram is moving towards an ecosystem with few tricks and many real values, forcing creators to invest more seriously in content instead of relying on hashtags to increase reach.
